6 



joint of the stem. When fully grown these larvge harden and turn brown, re- 

 sembling " flax-seeds " in shape and colour, and in this stage are well-known to 

 observant farmers. The tiny smoky-winged midges themselves, the parents of 

 the destructive maggots, appear in April or May, and again in August, but are 

 seldom noticed, except by entomologists, as they are so excessively minute, and 

 require a lens for their identification. The eggs are scarlet in colour and are laid 

 inside the leaves of the food plant. The most effective remedies for this pest are 

 (1). The late sowing of fall wheat ; if this is postponed till about the last week in 

 September the winged Hessian fly is gone before the young plant is sufficiently 

 matured to receive its eggs ; (2) The careful burning of all screenings and other 

 refuse from the threshing mill ; this will ensure the destruction of large quantities 

 of the insect in the " flax-seed " state. It is well to do this whether the Hessian 

 fly is known to be present or not ; (3). The burning of the stubble after the 

 crop has been removed ; but if this is not practicable, it is well that the field 

 should be harrowed in order to cause any fallen grain to grow at once and make 

 what is called a " volunteer crop." This will be attacked by the fly as a suitable 

 place for the deposit of the autumn eggs, and the brood thus produced can be 

 readily destroyed by a later plowing after the maggots are hatched out ; (4) If 

 a field is found to be infested, care should be taken to have such a rotation of 

 crops that neither wheat, rye nor barley should be grown upon the same ground 

 for at least another year ; (5). Good cultivation and plenty of manure will pro- 

 duce a strong, healthy growth and enable many a plant to survive an attack 

 that would be fatal to a less vigorous one. 



I have trespassed upon your patience to mention these well-known remedies 

 because the subject is of such vast importance, and constant iteration is required 

 in order that our farmers may be made familiar with the methods of treatment 

 that have been found most satifactory. While much can be done to ward off the 

 evil by an intelligent employment of these remedies, it is cheering to know that 

 we do not entirely depend upon them for immunity, but that there are several 

 minute parasitic insects which prey upon the Hessian-fly in its different stages, 

 and in many instances prevent it from becoming a serious injury. During a recent 

 visit to the central experimental farm at Ottawa, Mr. Fletcher showed me a num- 

 ber of plants of barley that were attacked by the Hessian-fly, but in nearly 

 every one that w^e pulled up we found a parasitic insect closely associated with the 

 enemy and evidently doing good work in its destruction. 



Another insect that has been attacking grain in many parts of the Province 

 is the Grain Aphis (Siphonophora avence, Fab.) As everyone who is in the least 

 degree observant must be familiar with the appearance and habits of plant-lice, 

 it is unnecessary to enter into any description of this insect here ; it will suflice 

 to say that it is found of different colours, green, black, yellow or red, and that 

 it attacks first the leaves of the plant and then the flowers and tender young 

 grain, often causing very serious damage. This year it has appeared in many 

 localities in Ontario, but it was at once attacked by its insect enemies, notably 

 by the larvae and beetles of various species of " Lad}^ birds " (Coccinellidce), the 

 grubs of Syrphus flies, and the Aphidius — a four- winged parasitic fly. These 

 natural enemies speedily reduced the numbers of the plant-lice and prevented 

 their attack from becoming serious. 



Cut-worms, the lai^^se of several species of night-flying moths, Fig. 2, {Agrotis, 

 Hadena, Mamestra) have been abundant in all parts of the country, and especi- 

 .ally injurious in gardens, but on the whole their attack has been much less 

 serious than last year. This may perhaps be accounted for by the character of 



